There is a driver inside USBWireless-10.6 for Snow Leopard, and it will complain during installation that the RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext failed to install. This is expected, just ignore it, the installation will complete successfully.

At the time of this writing, the WUSB600N v2 isn’t included in the Info.plist for the kext, so I had to edit /System/Library/Extensions/RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext/Contents/Info.plist in a text editor and add the appropriate bits. Search for “Linksys – RT2870 – 2” and duplicate the <key> and <dict> elements, renaming the key to “Linksys – RT2870 – 3” and the idProduct integer from “113” to “121”. Here’s what it should look like after the changes:

I spent hours trying to get this working on my MacBook Pro with OSX 10.6.2 and my girlfriend’s PowerBook G4 with OSX 10.5.7 with no luck. Does it matter that I’m using driver version 2.0.1.0? I can’t find 2.0.0.0 anywhere.

I trid this on a G5 iMac running 10.5.8. I used all the extra pieces you had published, using both files and the script. When I reboot and put in the usb adapter, I get nothing. I did ensure that I was logged in as an administrative user also. Any guidance on what I should be looking for in the console – I looked at teh logs but also didnt see anything there. Finally, though it might be the usb adapter, but it works fine on a windows box.

Has anybody gotten this to work with the most up-to-date Ralink 3.0.0.0 driver? 2.x constantly uses between 15 and 20% of CPU on my MacBook. I wanted to give 3.x a try, to no avail. Please share your experiences…

But I have a question.
Do you know where is the file that would tell it my order of preferred networks? I can set the order for my internal AirPort on the Advanced dialog box. I assume there is a file somewhere that the WUSB600N would read to serve the same purpose. I’m trying to get it to choose to join the weaker of two available wifi networks and I don’t see any way to choose.

Yes. Thank you very much for all of this. It was right there in my Applications. Got installed with the driver, but I didn’t notice it. That’s all I really needed. I can choose which source it connects to.

For those of you who still have problems connecting, you can try clearing your extension cache after you made the changes to kext. That worked for me, whereas the original instructions didn’t. Here’s a link to how to clear the extension cache:

I just followed these instructions and got this adapter working on an OLD iMac (The ugly one with the bubble body and the 15″ flat screen on the pole) running 10.4.11. I had to use the clear extension cache instructions and did a cold boot, but it worked like a charm. Thanks for giving this old mac a couple more years of life. 🙂

Just as a follow-up the latest (as of Jan 22, 2011) Ralink drivers (RTUSB D2870-3.0.3.0 UI-3.0.0.0_2010_10_29) install without any kext complaints and work well with a Sitecom WL-345 USB adapter (Mac OS 10.6.6). The drivers available through Sitecom’s website (RTUSB D2870-2.0.0.0 UI-2.0.0.0_2009_10_02) fail with the .kext warning.

Do I have to edit the Info.plist with the latest version too? For Linksys WUSB600n I cant seem to get it work it still says No Device!
I tried shut down and turn on but still no succes..
Already tested all usb ports none work.
Im on Snow Leopard 10.6.3 (on a windows based pc).
any suggestions?

I have a >>Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 with a CPU i5-650, 2x 3200MHz, So-1156<< and sueccessfully installed the WUSB600N now, following the above instructions, added the use of KEXT UTILITY to clar some cache. After a reboot the WLAN connection is available and stable. I am using the 2.0 driver, the newer ones did not want to cooperate.
Thanks a lot

Thank you for taking the time to post and share this tip. I upgraded my MacPro from 10.5.x to 10.6.3 and it left my wifi behind. I can’t get a cable to that machine so I was stuck. Luckily my first Google search “WUSB600N snow leopard” brought me right to you.

It took several tries and combinations of clearing caches, editing ktexts, and fiddling with permissions, but it finally worked.

It’s so disappointing that manufacturers can’t update their wares for customers. Or even reach out to individuals like you and offer a couple bucks for your solution, then roll it into their FAQ at least.

I have just now update to the 3.0 Driver (google for RTUSB D2870-3.0.3.0 UI-3.0.0.0_2010_10_29.dmg) – prior to that, I hgave extracted the info.plist from the older kext file (2.0 driver version) to the desktop and copied that after the installation of the 3.0 into the new kext. And it works now.
Thanks and regards
Manfredo

In the shell (that’s what the -s is for), enter “kextcache -system-mkext”

When it’s done running, type “exit”

(if you get an error message, that says that it won’t include the RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext, wait for the command to finish, then type “exit”. Then close Terminal. Uninstall the Ralink software with the uninstaller included in the DMG download from Ralink. Reboot. Then reinstall the driver and start from the Download and follow instructions section above.)

If the recreate mkext works, shut down your computer.

Start up your computer. 🙂

Once you are logged in and all your start up items have loaded, insert the WUSB600N USB stick.

You should get the notification that you Mac has found a new network device, and the Ralink Wireless Utility should start.

From here you’ll need to configure the network device and set the necessary values in Ralink Wireless Utility.

Thanks Dossy for the modified kext file! Without it, this process did not work at all. Now I’ve 5GHz Dual Band N WiFi. And it survives shut downs and reboots. Sweet!

Oh god Karl, I have to thank you 1 million times! I’ve been following everything said in this post and until now I haven’t been able to make my “Cisco/Linksys WUSB600N V2” work. Reading your answer, I told myself “eh, yet another solution; why not give it a try, it would only be the 23rd time I reboot”. I tried it however but without any real hope; but finally it worked!! This is actually the very small USBkey which is letting me send this message right now 🙂
So thank you very much for your thorough explanations and thanks a lot to Dossy who brought the subject as the first result in Google (3 years ago!)

I got the AE1000 working with the latest RT2870 drivers on 10.6.8. The only modification to the above instructions is to change idProduct integer from “113″ to “47″, not “121”. Your Info.plist entry should look like this.

I got the AE1000 working with the latest RT2870 drivers on 10.6.8. The only modification to the above instructions is to change idProduct integer from “113″ to “47″, not “121″. The System Profiles listed the Product ID as 002f – I converted it from hex to decimal and got 47. Works perfectly. Thanks for getting me started Dossy!

The original entry got garbled. Guess the editor doesn’t like XML entries!

would any one have a copy of USB(RT2870 /RT2770 /RT307X /RT2070 /RT3572) dated 05/03/2011 driver version V4.1.2.0 for Apple Mac OS X 10.4/10.5/10.6
I cant for the life of me find a source for this file other then ralink
ralink has been offline 🙁

been trying to get my ae1000 working on SL but i cant find new newest build V4.1.2.0 anywhere since ralink is down
wondering if anyone has a copy of this laying around
“USB(RT2870 /RT2770 /RT307X /RT2070 /RT3572) dated 05/03/2011 driver version V4.1.2.0 for Apple Mac OS X 10.4/10.5/10.6”

Got the new update ralink was only Down for the weekend
However I am now on lion 10.7.2
Anyone able to get the AE1000 working properly on lion?
I tryed converting my product id and vender id from hex to decimal and editing info.plist but no luck

I don’t know if anyone has realized this, but when i try to download the latest driver from Ralink, it shows up as a bash script, but it is really a dmg and has new drivers in it. :\ I’m trying it now and seeing how it goes. I am using a linksys ae1000 on lion and have found no joy using the 2.0.0.0 driver.